Mr Right
by birdy4
Summary: Ever been torn between two persons you love? See what Machi does? (Haven't written fics before... if review, don't be afraid to point out bad things)
1. Default Chapter

"Next week is my birthday."  
Machi said it out loud as she opened her eyes. Her birthday... She hadn't celebrated a birthday since she was a child, and even then she hadn't had what one would call a 'normal' birthday.  
She preferred not to think about it. "Machi, you in there?"  
Shalnark entered her room. Shalnark. the Shalnark. The Shalnark she'd done it with, even thought that was, about what, a month ago? "I thought I heard someone talking. was it you?" "Have I granted you right to enter my room?" Machi said. "Yes, I was talking for myself, that's what old people do. Now get out so I can get dressed, you pervert!"  
Shalnark didn't move an inch. "You're not old," he smiled "we're the same age, remember?"  
Machi glared at him with her big, yellow eyes. He continued to smile. "What, you scared of aging?" "No, I'm not. I just remembered I'm turning 25 within a week, and most of my childhood dreams still haven't come true", Machi sighed. "As haven't mine."  
He sat down at the edge of her unmade bed. "What were your dreams?" he wondered. "We- e-l- l. I wanted to learn hatsu. And I did", Machi said, and a smile arose up in her face. "Secondly, I wanted to get rich (can be that whenever I want) and meet Mr. Right and marry him, which I didn't. And that's it. So how 'bout you?" "I wanted to meet you."  
There was a silence, so thick that you cut it with a knife. "W- what did you say?" Machi asked, confused. "I wanted to meet you", Shalnark repeated. "I guess you're as near the girl in my dreams I could ever hope to get to know."  
Machi sighed. Not now, and not with him.. "I. think you should go, Shalnark", she said. "Is that a no?" He arose from the bed, with a wrinkle in his forehead. "Hey, I mean, you're one of my best friends. And yes, I am aware that we've slept once, but. Just give me some time to think it over, that's all. I will think it over, y' know."  
He didn't answer that. As soon as he had closed the door, Machi dressed herself and opened her window.  
It was raining outside, and it was four floors to the ground, but she didn't care - with a Nen- thread as her only link between the window and herself, she climbed down.  
Running away from the building where the Ryodan had their headquarters, she couldn't think of anything except getting into York Shin City.  
That's why she ran into a complete stranger, or so she thought. The force when they bumped into each other threw her to the ground.  
At first, she thought it was Shalnark - he had the same golden hair color, and she was starting to see Shalnarks everywhere. Or was it a girl? "Sorry", she muttered, and was helped up by a thin hand, worn by a couple of rings. "No need to apologize", said the blonde young man, and helped her stand up. Definitely a man. "I was thinking of something else.  
Golden eyes met black. And for an instant, she felt a tickling feeling in her stomach. 


	2. Chapter 2: Before the dating

"Are you alright, miss?" the blonde man asked. "This is all my fault - I should've looked where I was going." "No need to worry", Machi said, with a fake smile - her hands were pounding painfully. "I'm alright."  
She withdrew her hand from his, and the instant his support was removed, she fell to the ground.  
I must've twisted my ankle, she thought, making a face. "Are you hurt?" the man said, with a worried wrinkle in his forehead. He put his coat around her, before saying: "Here, let me help you."  
As easy as if she'd been a small child, he lifted her. The situation was annoying and, not a little embarrassing - it looked like they were groom and bride! "Where were you going?" the blonde man asked. "Oh, just. for a walk", Machi replied, struggling to get down. "You can put me down if you want, I think I can manage to get home anyway." "Sorry miss, I don't think I can allow that", he said, still not letting go of her. "These are unsafe area, a lady like you could get into trouble."  
Machi stopped struggling. Remember that you're a weak young lady, and there's probably a nice reward on your head. this man could turn into a killer in an instant if he finds out, she thought. "How 'bout I carry you to the café nearby?" the man offered. "Does that sound ok with you?" "Sounds like great", Machi said, and found herself feeling quite comfortable in his arms. "Lead the way."  
  
"I feel much better now", Machi admitted later, when they sat together in a café booth. "But I think I'll wait until the rain's stopped."  
Why did she make up excuses to continue her conversation with him? This had to end - right now. ". well, I hate to say this, but I've got to move on", the man said, apologizing. "I've got an appointment, and it's quite important." "Oh."  
Well, he ended it himself. good for him, she thought. Or was it really good?  
He stood up, and walked towards the door. Machi thought the situation over - for about tenth a second. "Wait!" she said, and stood up. The result was instant - she fell to the ground, for the second time that day. When she looked up, he crouched by her side. "Um. I- you forgot your coat!"  
Then, he smiled. "It's ok", he said, helping her to stand up. "I can have it the next time we meet." "Great. How 'bout tomorrow?"  
What? Did she just say that?! "Tomorrow will be great", he said, still smiling. "I've got a proposal." "Again? Well, the idea 'bout the café was great. shoot." "Well, how about us going on a date tomorrow? Well, personally, I'm not really into those things, so I thought a movie could be fun. How about it?" "Sounds great to me", Machi said. "Outside the café at 7 p.m.?" "Gotcha." He smiled wider, before backing out from the café (and bumping into two customers on his way out.)  
  
She was in a good mood when she returned to the headquarters. "You- you backstabbing bit-"  
Machi threw herself to the floor in order to avoid the punch. "Shizuku?! Shizuku, what do you think you're you doing?"  
Machi raised herself from the dirty ground, and was staring furiously at by Shizuku, whose fists were clenched. "I- I trusted you!" the girl sobbed. "I thought we were friends, but here you are, going behind my back - with Shalnark!" "Shizuku." "Yeah, what?!" "There's nothing going on between me and Shalnark", Machi said slowly, fixing her yellow eyes into Shizuku's dark. "And even so, you can't change the fact that you're ten years younger than he is. Face it, little girl - there isn't, and will never be, anything between the two of you. Unless, of course, he's taken a sudden liking on children." With those words, she turned away and walked into the depths of the building, ignoring the screams from the girl with glasses. "Oh, long time no see, miss. I haven't walked in on you for a while."  
Sheesh, not another one, Machi thought, and turned to meet the voice. She didn't even bother to make a fake smile. "Yeah, why don't the two of us keep it that way, Hisoka. Just tell me what you want, clown, and get lost. I bet you're dying to tell me, aren't you?"  
She carefully released one of her Nen- threads, and played with it between her fingers. "No fighting between the members of the Spider", he reminded, eyeing the small thread. "But, I guess sleeping between us is ok?"  
A bad little thought popped into her mind: He knows.  
I really don't have any time for this, Machi thought, and rolled her eyes. "Just leave your message, and go", she sighted. "I'm a busy woman." "I'm sure you are."  
The clown actually smiled at her! "Tomorrow, at five p.m., at the museum", he said. "We're gonna be dressed as ordinary citizens." "Why?" "You, me and Nobunaga will be there to protect Shalnark. His mind- control remote will do the job for us, but we must be there to avoid certain. distractions." "I'll be there..." she said calmly, but her mind was shouting: Five p.m.?! Oh shit, There won't be enough time! 


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, that sure wasn't difficult", Nobunaga said. Shalnark snorted. "That's easy for you to say. I had to do all the hard work - you guys only had to sit back and watch me." He stopped. They were finished with the work. The current time was somewhere after 6p.m. "Where's Machi?"  
She was gone. But she'd been there, only a minute ago, or so. "That's weird", Hisoka muttered. "I thought she was right behind us. Maybe she didn't want to walk with us for some special reason, eh, Shalnark?" "Shut up."  
  
Hurry, hurry, Machi thought. She was running at the rooftops of the houses beside the museum - last night, she'd figured out a plan. It was simple, but she had to follow her time schedule.  
Now, she was at the roof of a Highschool, Physical Education (P.E) house. She dived into one of the open windows - she was sure it was open, because she'd left them so just a couple of hours ago.  
The girls' changingroom was totally empty. Of course, the schoolday was long past over, but even so, she had to be sure. Quickly, she threw her bag into a corner, opened it and took out a towel and some clean clothes. Then, she undressed, and made a quick showering.  
Mm.that felt good, she thought, while she buttoned her shirt and packed her clothes into the bag again. She really liked showering, if it was in warm water.  
She also made it to the café before 7 p.m. So when he came walking down the crowded street towards the café, she could see him. "I was a bit early", she said when he came up to her. "Did you think of a movie?"  
He looked slightly surprised. "Actually, I thought you did that", he admitted. "Did I make a very big mistake?" "Not at all. We can figure out one on the way", Machi said, while they began to walk. "But, actually, I think it's better if you choose one, because I'm not really the cinema-going type." "Neither am I. And you don't really look like one, too. Not that it's something negative", he added hurriedly, "but you really don't look like one." "Well, like I said, I'm not." She tried not to look at him - she'd been told that her 'looking' at people often degenerated into glares. Scaring, yellow glares. Not good, yellow glares. "So where'd you get the cinema-idea?" she wondered trying to be polite and break the silence. "Some friends told me about it", he answered before he could stop himself. "Uh. that didn't sound very good, did it?" he said, uncertain of himself. "Sounds like you've been planning this for a long time", Machi said, finally looking straight at him. He gulped but only a little. "Well, I'm a bit like a. workaholic, so my friends thought I'd need to spend some time out", he explained, while trying not to bump into the other persons on the street. "I guess they thought I ought to do it with a beautiful girl, so they helped me to set this up."  
A beautiful girl - her? "Sounds pretty logical to me", Machi said, shrugging. But then she frowned. "Wait a minute, did you tell your friends 'bout us going out?" "Didn't really have much of a choice", he muttered, "they aren't really the kind of people you can keep secrets from in a long time." "Sounds like they're either getting themselves into trouble a lot, or they really care about you." "Well, we've been through a lot together", he said, laughing. "The Huntertests-!" He fell silent. "You're hunter?" Machi said, startled. Ordinary people often didn't know about the Hunters and Huntertests. But she was far from ordinary. "Well, yeah." He shrugged, trying to look like he didn't care about it. "I haven't been a Hunter more than a year or so (even less), but I've got the license." "I know another Hunter", Machi said with a low voice. "But you're different from him." "Well, I guess there're Hunters and Hunters", he said.  
  
"This is the third time this week that you're going out again!" Shalnark said slowly. Machi stopped at the doorstep and turned around to face him. "Where are you going?" "Why do you want to know that?" "Just. curious", he said, trying not to sound like he cared about it. "I don't want you to run into trouble." "Well, trouble usually finds me, and I'm not planning to get into anything", Machi answered dryly, making an effort to walk. "So mind your own business." "Well, I noticed you went to the bathroom after breakfast today", he said, looking worried. "People go to the bathroom sometimes, right?" "Yes, they do", he admitted, "but they usually don't throw up dinner and breakfast again - Machi, I'm worried about you. Are you feeling alright?" "Never felt better", she answered irritated. Why couldn't he just go away? "Don't act like a child!" he said, raising his voice. "If you're ill, then I doubt it's a good idea for you to-" "Just shut up, ok?!" Machi yelled, suddenly furious though she knew he only tried to protect her. "You're not my daddy, you're not my boyfriend and I'm about not to consider you as my friend! So give me ONE reason I'd let you rule over my life?! Get out and get an own life - go to Shizuku, I bet she'd be overjoyed if you did!"  
She ran out of the building. Her temper had been a lot worse lately, but Shalnark was getting his nose into other people's affairs.  
  
Their first date had been great, Machi thought for herself as she walked away from the headquarters and turned up to the street - her temper was going back to normal again now.  
And the second, too. With him, she almost felt like a normal girl. Not that she knew how that felt, but.  
They didn't talk so much about their own private lives, more about the common interests. But she still didn't know his name. "This is so odd", he said, after their third date at the night (walking through the park, watching the little ducklings), "we've walked to my house!"  
Machi looked at her right side, where a small two-floor house laid. It seemed dark, but a lamp was still lit at the second floor. Apart from that, a fading street lamp stood tall outside the house, a couple of meters away. "You live here? That's pretty nice", she said. "Well, my friends live here with me", he grinned. "They snore and fight, but they're pretty ok."  
They both fell silent.  
Please don't invite me into the house, Machi thought, feeling very pale, I don't know what I'm supposed to- "Well, I guess. this is goodnight?" he said, slightly red in his face. He bent down a bit, and his face drew nearer hers.  
Then, suddenly, the front door made a loud 'BANG' and two young boys poked their heads out. Machi quickly jumped a meter or so away, into the shadows of a big tree. "Kurapica!" one of the boys yelled, "whatcha doing?" "Are you finished dating, yet?" the other asked, his brown eyes twinkling. "How'd it go??"  
They look. familiar, Machi thought. Kurapica? Is that his name? "Uh, yeah, sorry", Kurapica said, coughing.  
The silver haired one looked amazed. "Hey, your face's blood- red! Did ya hit yourself?" "I think it's pretty odd, though", the black haired boy commented, "I mean, I've never been red in my face when I hit myself. Do you have a fever, Kurapica? My aunt always sends me to bed when I'm having fever." "Oh, shut up!" Kurapica said, making his way into the house. With a last look behind his back, trying to get a glimpse of Machi, he closed the door.  
His friends seemed ok. Machi released herself out from the shadows and began to walk back home to the headquarters. But they looked familiar - she recognized them from somewhere, but she couldn't quite figure out where or when she'd seen them before.  
Suddenly, the world started to blur. she couldn't focus properly, and felt dizzy. What's happening to me? She thought. First I throw up, and now this..?  
She thought she saw Shalnark, just before everything blackened. Or was it Kurapica?  
  
Author's note: I know there're a lot of different versions of the names of Shalnark and Kurapica. And I'm using these because they seem the be the ones popping up the must on the net (character pages and so on.) And these are the ones I've met on the scanslations. (And thanks to those who's been encouraging me. I hope you're enjoying this.) 


End file.
